Sirtris Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, USA announced yesterday strong positive results from an early-stage clinical trial targeting type 2 diabetes for a drug based on resveratrol, the chemical found in red wine, reports Boston Herald.

The study, done on 98 diabetes patients in India who had never been treated for the disease, was aimed at determining the safety of two different doses of the drug known as SRT501. In addition to finding that the drug was well-tolerated in the 28-day trial, CEO Christoph Westphal said the company "saw a strong trend toward SRT501 lowering glucose."

"It was an unexpected surprise," said Westphal. "We believe this is the first time a drug candidate targeted to the genes that control the aging process has been shown to be beneficial in human patients in a disease of aging."

Past study results have led some to dub SRT501 as a "fountain of youth" drug because of its potential to target a range of diseases of aging.

Phase 2 of the study will be a three-month programme and will include 130 patients and yield results later this year. Still, despite positive early results, SRT501 is at least four years away from market, says Westphal.

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